Oil-burning apparatus and method



W. H. PASCOE. OIL BURNING APPARATUS AND METHOD.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25,1921- Pawnted June 21, 1921.

3 $HEEIS-SHEET l.

Z%//1ZZ7% W. H. PASCOE. OIL BURNING APPARATUS AND METHOD. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25. 1921. 1 82,223. Patented June 21, 1921.

3 SHEEIS-SHEE1 2.

Y /fldf/Zidl R ZflzZ/z'am Pas we A ills;

W. H. PASCOE.

OIL BURNING APPARATUS AND METHOD.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.25,19Z1- 1,382,223. Patented June 21, 1921.

3 sHEEls sHEET 31 J? //Z [6 I Mia/m P416 06 PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. PASCOE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

OIL-BURNING APPARATUS AND METHOD.

Application filed February 25, 1921.

To all'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. PAscoE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oil-Burning Apparatus and Methods, of which the following is a s cification.

he invention relates to oil burning apparatus adapted for installation in connection with domestic and industrial furnaces.

The use of oil as a furnace fuel requires the atomization or mechanical breaking up into minute particles of the liquid oil, and its mixture with air to roduce efficient and complete combustion. il burning apparatus as heretofore used, have commonly employed an atomizing burner structure to discharge a jet of oil under considerable pressure from a very small orifice, spraying the oil throu h an induced current of air to the mouth 0 the burner for combustion. The great heat generated in the burner results in carbonizing the liquid oil in the conduit leadin to the orifice, and the accumulation of car 11 deposits in the conduit clogs the orifice, and frequently effects a more or less complete stoppage of the oil flow, resulting in very unsatisfactory and even dangerous consequences in the fire-box. Under such circumstances the flame is frequently extinguished and the continued partial flow of oil into the hot fire-box produces smoke and an explosive mixture of ases liable upon ignition to do great damage. A further difficulty fre uently arises from the easy clogging of t e small orifice by solid impurities carried in the oil.

The object of my invention, generally stated, is to overcome these difliculties by efl'ecting the mixture of air and oil in an improved way; by eliminating all small orifices in the apparatus so as to avoid clogging; and by mixing the oil and air at a point relatively remote from the burner and forcing the mlxture through a conduit to a burner.

In ap aratus of this character heretofore produce the oil has been admitted to the stream of air at a point between the air compressor (or other aircurrentcreating device) and the burner, and this has necessitated the employment of a very small outlet orifice through which the oil is forced in a spray to be mixed with the air. I have discovered that the oil and air may be satisfac- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 21, 1921.

Serial No. 447,792.

torily mixed by admitting the oil through the casing of a rotary air pump and allowing the rapidly revolving rotor to strike and act upon the oil So as to effectively break up the oil and mix it in its vaporized state with the air in the casing, the mixture being discharged undcr pressure through a conduit to the burner. The necessity of using fine jet orifices for the oil is thus eliminated.

A further difliculty attending the development of successfully operating oil burning heating apparatus for furnaces has been the inability of such devices to satisfactorily operate with heavy crude oil for fuel. ()il burning apparatus used in do mest'ic heaters heretofore have been operated with kerosene as fuel. The increasing cost of refined kerosene oil makes it highly desirable to employ the cheap crude grades of fuel oil for heating purposes. The heavier oils are much more difiicult to atomize than the more volatile grades distilled therefrom, such as kerosene, also they are very difficult to maintain in an atomized state during conduction from the point of mixing with air to a burner, the tendency being to condense along the walls of the conduit. The consequent accumulation of liquid oil clogs the passage and upon flowing into the burner extinguishes the flame.

I have found that crude oil may be used with satisfactory results when the oil is simultaneously atomized and compressed under sufficient pressure to force the mixture at high velocity through the conduit lead ing to the burner. By this means I have developed what is believed to be the first successful domestic crude oil burner. The high velocity of the mixture prevents precipitation of the heavy particles of liquid upon the walls of the conduit. and enables the delivery at the burner orifice of a stable and efficient combustible mixture.

Another object of my invention is to provide means for simultaneously atomizing the liquid fuel and positively compressing the mixture suitably to obtain the latter described results.

Further objects of my invention are to provide novel and improved means for supplying oil to the mixing means; to provide an improved baffle plate to cooperate with the burner; and to produce an extremely simple and durable apparatus which may be cheaply manufactured and which will operate automatically and will require a mini mum amount of attention after being installed.

Other objects and advantages Will be apparent in the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of my invention diagrammatic view of the assembled appa-- ratus installed in connection with a furnace. Fig. 2 represents a plan view of the operating mechanism. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the same mechanism, and Fig. 4 is an end view thereof. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of a modified structural arrangement of the operating mechanism. Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of my burner construction, and Fig. 7 is a top view thereof. Fig. 8 is an elevational view illustrating the interior of one form of air compressor which may be employed with the apparatus.

Referring to Fig. 1 for'a general statement of the construction and operation of my apparatus, the numeral 1 indicates a diagrammatic representation of a furnace in'the fire-box of which a baffle plate 2 has been placed upon the conventional grates to receive the oil flames and divert them to the sides of the fire box. The burner 3 positioned to project the flames upon the baffle plate 2 is mounted on a supporting tube 4 entering the fire box door 5 and rigidly secured to a standard 6 fixed to the floor before the furnace. An oil reservoir 7 is connected for the continuous circulation of oil to and from an oil pump 8 by an intake pipe 9 and a discharge pipe 10. Branching from the pump discharge line 10 is a valve controlled pipe connection 11 leading to a suitable aircurrent-creating device such as a rotary pump or compresser 12 wherein oil and air are properly mixed for delivery through piping carriedin the supporting tube 4 to the burner 3. I

.The atomizing of the fuel mixture is accomplished wholly within the compressor 12 distantly removed from the fire box, the mixture being delivered to the burner through the connecting tubing under sufficient pressure to attain a high velocity. The substantial spacing of the burner from the atomizing compressor also avoids the dis- "agrecable noise usually attending the discharge at the burner of liquid fuel oil under high pressure directly into the flame; The regulation of the oil supply through the branch 11 permits the operation of the oil pump 8 at constant speed with the compressor, the surplusage of oil pumped being returned to the tank. A connection 13 with an illuminating gas line may be carried through the tube 4 and supply a pilot light in the burner 3 for the ready ignition of the fuel. mixture whenever the apparatus is put in operation.

Referring to Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the operating mechanism comprises a base plate 14 mounted upon the standard 6 and supporting the pump 8, the air compressor 12 and an electric motor 15. The oil pump and air compressor are herein shown as of the rotary type with their driving shafts in axial alinement with each other and with the shaft of the motor, the three shafts being suitably connected at their ends for direct drive by the motor. One form of positive acting rotary air compressor which may be employed is shown in Fig. 8 as comprising an eccentric rotor 12 having wings 12 pivoted on its periphery and having their free ends maintained by centrifugal force in engage ment with the wall of the casing. The latter construction prevents the accumulation of liquid oil about the inner periphery of the casing.

The oil pump 8 receives oil from the reser voir through the inlet pipe 9 and discharges it through the outlet 10 for return to the reservoir, and through the branch 11 leading to the compressor 12. The branch 11 is provided with an oil strainer 16 and a regulatingvalve 17. The outlet 10'is also provided with a regulating valve 18. The two valves are so arranged that by their relative adjustment any desired proportion of the oil discharged from the pump 8 may be delivered through the branch 11 to the air compressor 12, the remainder of the oil passing through the return pipe 10 to the reservoir. By this arrangement, it is possible to operate both the pump and the compressor at constant relative speed and. make the necessary adjustments to properly proportion the amount of oil being delivered to the compressor without changing the relative speed of'the pump. Such adjustments are necessary in securing a proper fuel miX- ture with varying grades of oil and forsecurin varying intensity of the heating flame. A further advantage in the direct driving connection of the oil. pump and compressor is the automatic stoppage of the oil flow with the stopping of the compressor, thus preventing any overflow of oil.

The rotary compressor 12 is constructed to draw its air supply through the screened intake 19. The oil supply branch 11 is connected into the air intake as at 20 the oil being allowed to drip into the intake by gravity as discharged from the valve 17.

The high speed compressor rotor receiving pipe 22 extending through the supporting tube.

In my modified construction represented in Fig. 5, the pump 8 is mounted upon the frame structure 23 of the compressor 12, thus obviating a separate base for the pump andhutilizing a common integral shaft therewit Referring to Figs. 6 and 7, my burner construction comprises a funnel shaped outer shell 24 forming a mixing chamber, at the base of which is integrally formed a fuel nozzle 25 having a discharge orifice 26 located centrally of the mixing chamber and directed toward the mouth of the burner. Fuel mixture is delivered to the nozzle 25 through the pipe 22 leading from the compressor 12 and entering the side wall of the nozzle. The side wall of the burner shell carries a collar 27 adapted to receive the end of the supporting tube 4 and definin an opening 28 for the free passage of air rom the tube to the interior of the shell 24 about the nozzle and downwardly through the mixin chamber. Openings 29 are also provided in the head of the burner surrounding the base of the nozzle. Air entering the burner from the tube 4 is intermixed with a proportion of hot gas entering through the openings 29, and upon further mixture with the fuel discharged from the orifice 26, produces a maximum of efficiency in the combustion of the fuel.

To provide for the ready ignition of the mixture when the apparatus is started in operation, a pilot light 30 is positioned in the side wall of the mixing chamber and connected by suitable piping 31 through the supporting tube 4 with illuminating gas connections represented at 13 in Fig. 1.

In connection with the baffle plate 2, I have provided a peripheral trough 32 (Fig. 1) about the outer edge of the baffle plate, so positioned in relation to the flame deflecting surface of the plate that the flames do not come in contact with the trough. By this means, any accidental overflow of oil from the burner is collected and drained away through a pipe without contact with the flames and the consequent production of disagreeable smoke when the fuel is subsequently ignited at the burner. The pipe 33 is arranged to discharge into a receptacle 34 which is suspended from one end of a lever 35 pivoted at 36 to a bracket 37 on the base plate 14. The other end of the lever 35 is arranged to engage and operate an electric switch 38 which is also attached to the base 14 and "controls the electric power circuit driving the motor 15. When the receptacle 34 receives a certain amount of oil the weight thereof swings the lever 35 to operate the switch 38 and break the motor circuit.

It will now be apparent that I have provided an apparatus for burning fuel oil which is efficient and economical in operation, is particularly adapted to the use of crude oil, and is devoid of the objectionable results due to carbonization of the fuel and clogging of the burner orifice.

I claim as m invention:

1. A liquid uel heating apparatus adapted to be permanently associated with a furnace and comprising means located outside of the furnace for automatically mixing liquid fuel and air, means located within the furnace for burning the fuel mixture, and a conduit of substantial length carrying the fuel mixture from the mixing means to the burner, said conduit being of sufficient length to substantially prevent the radiation or conduction of heat from the burner to the mixing means.

2. A liquid fuel heating apparatus comprising a fuel reservoir, means for pumping oil in a continuous circuit from and to said reservoir, an air pump, means for conducting a proportion of the oil being pumped from said reservoir to said air pump, said air pump being adapted to impregnate with oil the air pumped therethrough, a burner adapted to be positioned within a furnace, and means for conducting the fuel mixture from said air pump to said burner.

3. An oil burning apparatus comprising an oil pump adapted to pump oil from an oil reservoir, a return connection from said pump to said reservoir, an air pump, a branch connection from said return connection to said air pump, and valve means for adjustably regulating the proportionate relation of oil returned to the reservoir and delivered to the air pump.

4. In an oil burning apparatus, means for producing a combustible fuel mixture comprising an oil pump operable to maintain a circulating flow of oil, an air pump associated with said oil pump and adapted to receive oil for intermixture with air to form a fuel mixture, automatic means for diverting a predetermined portion of said circulating flow of oil to said air pump for said mixture, said means being adjustable for varying the proportion of oil so diverted.

5. An oil burning apparatus comprising an air pump having an air inlet, an oil pump operable in constant relation to said air pump, a source of oil supply, connections between said oil pump and said source of supply adapted to carry a circulating flow of oil actuated by said oil pump, means for diverting a variable proportion of said flow of oil for discharge into said air inlet, said air pump being adapted to produce a combustible mixture of said oil and air and compress said mixture for discharge therefrom at relatively high velocity, and means for conducting said mixture from said air pump for combustion at a substantial distance therefrom.

6. In an oil burning apparatus, means for producing a combustible fuel mixture comprising a rotary air pump having an inlet and an outlet and having a shaft, a rotary oil pump having a shaft in driven engagement with said air pump shaft, means for driving said air pump shaft, an oil reservoir, an intake pipe connection for delivering oil from said reservoir to said oil pump, a discharge pipe connection for carrying oil from said oil pump to said reservoir, ,a valve in said discharge connection adapted to regulate the flow therethrough, a pipe connection branching from said discharge pipe between said oil pump and said valve and adapted to deliver oil to said air pump intake, a valve regulating the flow in said branch connection, said valves being operable to control the relative outflow of oil from said oil pump in any predetermined ratio between said discharge connection and said branch connection.

7 In an oil burning apparatus, means for producing a combustible fuel mixture comprising an air pump, an oil pump, an oil reservoir, an intake connection between said reservoir and said oil pump, a discharge connection from said oil pump to said reservoir, a valve in said discharge connection, a branch connection from said discharge connection connected thereto between said oil pump and said valve and connected at its other end to said air pump, a valve in said branch connection, said valves being adapted to control the outflow from said pump in a predetermined ratio between said discharge connection and said branch connection.

8. A fuel miXi-ng'device for oil burning apparatus comprising a rotary air pump having an air intake and an outlet, and an oil intake associated with said air intake having connection with a supply of fuel oil, said rotary pump being adapted in opera? tion to atomize and intermix an inflow of oil with air and produce a combustible fuel mixture for discharge under positive compression from said outlet.

9. An apparatus for'producing a combustible fuel oil mixture for furnaces comprising, in combination, a rotary air compressor, means for introducing liquid fuel into said air compressor, said compressor operating to vaporize said liquid fuel and positively compress the mixture thereof with air, a burner, and meaiis for conducting said mixture at relatively high velocity to said burner.

10. An oil burning apparatus for furnaces comprising, in combination, a rotary air pump having an air inlet and a .discharge outlet, means for introducing fuel oil into said pump, and a burner communieating with said outlet, said pump being adapted in operation to prevent accumula tion therein and back-flow therefrom of liquid fuel oil.

11. An oil burning apparatus for furnaces, comprising in combination, a rotarv oil pump, a rotary air pump and a driving motor, said two pumps and motor having their shafts alined and in driving engagement with each other, a base on which said two pumps and motor are fastened, a pipe having one end mounted on-said base, a burner head mounted on the other end of said pipe, a burner nozzle within said burner head, a conduit within said pipe counecting'the outlet from said airpump with said burner nozzle, and a connection between said air pump and said oil pump for delivering oil to the latter tobe mixed with air therein. 12. An oil burning apparatus for furnaces comprising, in combination, a burner, a pump for supplying atomized liquid fuel to said burner, a baffle plate adapted to laterally divert a downwardly projected flame from said burner, a trough formed about the outer periphery of said baffle plate .to receive unconsumed oil, trough being positioned a substantial distance below the .de fleeting surface of said plate and removed from contact by said flame, ,a drainage connection leading from said trough, and means associated with said drainage connection for automatically stopping the operation of said pumpj 13. A burner for oil burning apparatus comprising a tubular support, .an annular shell mounted. on said support and having one end closed, said shell having an opening adjacent its closed end communicating V with the interior of sald support, a fuel shell mounted on said support and having one end closed, said shell having an opening adjacent its closed .end communicating with the interior of said support, a fuel nozzle mounted in the closed end portion of said'shell spaced from the side walls thereof and having an orifice of comparatively large cross area opening toward the open end of said shell, the closed end of said shell about said nozzle having a series of a ertures, and a pipe positioned in said support and connected to said nozzle for the delivery of fuel mixture, said tubular support and said apertures being adapted to admit air for the supplementary admixture with said fuel mixture flowing from said nozzle orifices.

15. A burner for fuel burning apparatus comprising a tubular support, an annular shell mounted on said support and comprising a mixing chamber, a fuel nozzle mounted within said shell and having a connection with a source of supply of fuel mixture, and a conduit opening into said shell having communication with a source of supply of combustible gas and adapted to maintain a ilot flame.

16. 11 an oil burning apparatus, a baflle plate having its upper surface adapted to receive a downwardly projected oil flame and to laterally divert said flame, an integral trou h formed about the periphery of said ba e plate adapted to receive unconsumed oil and positioned below the path of said flame, and a drain connection opening into the bottom of said trough.

17. The method of operating oil burning I apparatus comprising the mixing of fuel oil and air in proportions to form a combustible mixture, the simultaneous compressing of said mixture b the mixing means whereby the mixture Wlll flow at high velocity through an inclosed discharge passage, and the open combustion of said mixture at the terminus of said passage, said combustion occurring sufliciently distant from said mixing to prevent the appreciable radiation or conduction of heat therebetween.

18. The method of operating oil burning apparatus comprising the introducing ofi 011 into the intake of a positively operating air compressor thereby eflectin a combustible mixture of oil and air an er pressure,

the discharge of said compressed mixture at high velocity through a passage of substantial length, and the combustion of said mixture at the terminus of said passage sufficiently removed from said compressor to prevent appreciable radiation or conduction of heat thereto.

19. The method of operating oil burning apparatus comprising producing uniformly related flows of oil and air, diverting a variable proportion of said oil flow into said air flow, mechanically intermixing and compressing said diverted proportion of oil and said air, flowing said mixture a substantial distance at high velocity through an inclosed passage, and burning said mixture at the terminus of said passage.

20. The method of producing a combustible mixture for furnaces which comprises introducing liquid fuel into a rotary positive air compressor and conducting the mixture of air and fuel from said compressor at high velocity to a burner.

21. An oil burning apparatus for furnaces comprising, in combination, a burner, a rotary air pump having a discharge outlet communicating with said burner, and means for introducing fuel oil into said pump, said pump comprising a casing and an internal eccentric rotor having a plurality of hinged members operating in constant contact with the inner periphery of said casing and being adapted to pick up the oil admitted to said pump, atomize said oil with air and compress the resultant mixture whereby said mixture is discharged at high velocity from said discharge outlet.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

WILLIAM H. PASCOE. 

